A resected case of focal autoimmune pancreatitis with pancreatic duct wall thickening representing periductal lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate

This case revealed that branch pancreatic duct wall thickening by endoscopic ultrasonography represented periductal lymphoplasmacytic infiltrate as a characteristic histopathological finding of autoimmune pancreatitis, which may help in the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis. An 80-year-old man was referred because fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography for lung cancer indicated abnormal uptake in the pancreatic head. Computed tomography showed an enhanced mass with cystic structures in the pancreatic head. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography revealed mild dilatation of the main pancreatic duct in the pancreatic body with no strictures. Endoscopic ultrasonography demonstrated a lobulated heterogeneous hypoechoic mass in the pancreatic head. A branch pancreatic duct with wall thickening connected the mass to the main pancreatic duct. An intraductal neoplasm filling and spreading into the branch pancreatic duct was considered, and surgery was performed. Histopathologically, the mass consisted of marked inflammatory cell infiltration, storiform fibrosis, and obliterative phlebitis. The branch pancreatic duct with wall thickening revealed a band-like inflammatory cell infiltration with mainly lymphocytes and plasma cells beneath the normal pancreatic duct epithelium. Immunohistological staining revealed abundant IgG4-positive plasma cells (> 10 cells/HPF) in the inflammatory cell infiltration. The definite diagnosis was type 1 focal autoimmune pancreatitis.